Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-12-16


your very thoughts to excess; or if a
mild afternoon blesses the land, the
dazzling brilliancy of the sun is redoubled |
by ice and snow, and the unaccustomed |
heat produces a glow throughout the
system and makes the blood course faster |
through the veins. Now you sit behind |
a little animal whose every trait is energy |
and compactness. Away he shoves, re-
ioicing in rafting gait so that for the
moment you cannot see whether there be
two or ten legs a-pegging like broom
sticks under him. The wind cuts your
cheeks, and you slacken the pace; now
your pony capers high and lightly, ex-
cited by his previous burst. You rein up
and take position to see the coming out
of the trotting match that is toward.
There is no air stirring; it was your rate
of going that made the wind bite so
sharply.
But here the horses are going up to
take the start. Each is harnessed
rather clumsily to low-boxed sleigh.
which shows him to advantage and gives
the driver position standing up close
behind his nag, where the short reins
afford him great command. and short
whip may do its Office. There are five
horses; here is noble bay-what neck
he has-how round his body-how well
he is balanced at both ends. He is a
mongrel, which adds to his size and
appearance. The next is black, rather
heavy in the head-what large cords he
has at the gambrel, Here comes the grey
his head is light and fine enough, and
his legs show blood-shaggy fetlocks,
however. This is Canadian of the first
descriptions; you may read evidence of
his pedigree in that proud. cresty neck,
and the terrible muscular frame, the
bloodlke extremities and roomy throat
are turn up from his Arab ancestors.
Now comes mare-she walks WE'LL is
clean built with fine muzzle, and in
good trotting form. "But what is this
drawing the next sleigh-the foal?" No.
-''Well, it cannot be more than a
stunted yearling." That is Il little PAGER
one of the old Norman palfrey breed,
whose race. for want of crossing. has
dwindled to this size and appearance.
He is of a bright chestnut (the favorite
color of Jean Baptiste) and has three
white legs and bald face GALL the better
for him). Well, now, what a wretched
little, weak built, lop-eared, ragged
hipped, sloped-rump, cat-hammed curly
tailed creature it is There he goes. tC
start with those powerful horses for q
mile.
And now you see them turning yonder
Presently they will be off. Now they
come. Each takes track for himself
the ice being hard and glare for grea
t breadth, and the brave horses wei
accustomed and not afraid of the blacl
! spots in it. See, the bay and the blacl
| are left behind, and the grey leads, toss
} ing his name above the lofty crest, ant
springing forward, as upon legs of steel
1 He is gallant horse-I think I'll buy
: him, but what-the mare is gaining SIN
: moves as unerringly as a machine. Ant
4 see the little pacer-his legs going like
| spider's-only one side at time. OIL
? Jehu. how they cOme-our favorite i
4. far behind-the black and the bay still
: farther-the PAGER has come up with tn
: mare, and every stride of the imp swing
: freer and faster as he finds that he i
: gaining on the others. The short WIFI
e is put upon the mare, and she woul'
e as soon think of flying, as breaking iron
e her trot; her Group lodges faster ant
D her neck is outstretched. They hav
t passed US with a whirr-we only saw tn
e PAGERS nostrils, red and distended, lik
e the mouth of an Indian warrior givin,
: the warhoop, as he slid by the goal.
r Such are the races that frequently en-
:, lven the winters on our large rivers. o
: the small ones, which empty into these
Il the training is constantly going on, afte
fashion. When, from thaw, or rain
Y jam, or the influence of tides, the waite
IS rises in the larger rivers, the smaller one
e overflow their ice at the edges and thi
y NulCl lltCLluS tllc bCSb VI iNt. vi
/, til a fresh snow storm covers it. Thes
: streams, having high banks, afford snu
It sheltered rides for practcing horses o
= their fast gaits, even in the coolest weatl
e er, and in the neighborhood are Away
$ to be found the fleetest goers, which ar
e reared in great degree for pleasure, bu
is with view to profit; and generally sol
IS at about their maturity.
e Now, as the Canadians possess horse
# of the best sort for their service, and tha
h can go the pace; as they have learne
r. what glorious sport it is to contend fo
= victory and speed; as they have such az
l. vantages for training and practicing
the dead season of winter; and as theI
V is, and always must be market for tn
is best, at the Southwark, apprehend tina
=, so lonn Eranob Cano1ianc axist tba